Horror films return to the forefront.
Sweeping to third place at the box office, Behind the Walls attracted 426,000 Chinese spectators to cinemas in its first full week on release (Huaxia). This is yet another feat for this debut French feature in 3D, which racked up 110,000 admissions in Russia (Luxor Entertainment) in 2011. The film's international career will erase the memory of its poor results in France (16,000 admissions). The SARFT, the Chinese audiovisual censor authority, prohibited the production of horror films in China, even though this genre is greatly appreciated by the Chinese public. This ban is a godsend for Behind the Walls. The fact that the film is shot in 3D has also been a decisive commercial argument in the film's favor, for theaters equipped for 3D represent almost half of all the country's screens. This combination of factors has proved favorable to the film in the highly competitive Chinese market.
Astérix and Obélix: God Save Britannica pursues its international career. In Russia (Central Partnership), 224,000 additional admissions (-36% compared to the previous week) were recorded, despite a reduction from 900 to 520 prints. Russian audiences have provided the film with its highest foreign box office score, with 854,000 total admissions. In Germany (Concorde), the film has crossed the 300,000 admissions threshold, but its results dropped radically in its 4th week (-71% compared with the previous week). In Belgium, (Alternative Films), with 224,000 spectators, for the moment the film has recorded the third best performance of a French film released in 2012, behind Taken 2 (Belga Films – 261,000 admissions) and Houba! On the Trail of the Marsupilami (Alternative Films – 248,000 admissions). In Portugal (Lusomundo), the film has tallied 100,000 admissions, making it the fourth best performance of a French-language film in the past 5 years. Astérix and Obélix: God Save Britannica has registered 1.8 million admissions abroad.
The Intoucables reinforces its fine results in Australia (Village Roadshow), where 247,000 spectators headed to watch it on the big screen. This is already a huge success given the lack of appeal French comedies usually have for Australian audiences. In the past few years, only a few titles have managed to pass the 100,000 admissions threshold: The Woman on the 6th Floor, (Palace Films – 225,000 admissions, released in 2011), The Closet (Sharmill Films - 151,000 admissions, released in 2001), and Priceless (Dendy Films – 118,000 admissions, released in 2007). The Intouchables has already achieved the fifth highest admissions rate for a French-language film in this territory since the beginning of 2000. It may equal the performance of The Artist (Roadshow Film Distributors) at the beginning of 2012, which attracted 353,000 spectators. The Intouchables has registered 28.2 million admissions abroad.
At the end of its first week on Spanish screens (Golem), In the House has gathered together 43,000 spectators. This fine launch can be compared to that of Potiche (Alta Films), which released during a similar period in 2011, clocking up 41,000 admissions, and finished its Spanish career with 97,000 admissions. In Russia (Paradise), the film struggled during its opening weekend, with only 12,000 admissions for 155 prints. This was a bold release in a territory where François Ozon's films often have difficulty attracting audiences. Angel (Paradise) and 8 Women (Intercinema), his greatest successes in Russia, both registered around 100,000 admissions. In Benelux, the film's Belgian results (ABC Distribution) are a little disappointing, with 46,000 admissions after four weeks. In the Netherlands (Cinemien), 38,000 spectators have seen the film in four weeks; this number should reach 50,000 in the coming weeks, just like Potiche (Cinéart), which achieved 58,000 admissions in Holland in 2011. François Ozon nevertheless remains a key French director abroad. Since the beginning of 2000, his 11 films released internationally have clocked up 1.3 million admissions on average, with huge international successes such as 8 Women (4.4 million admissions), Swimming Pool (3.5 million admissions), and Potiche (2.2 million admissions).
Matthieu THIBAUDAULT
